René Pape

WAGNER Scenes and Arias Pape 4776617

. . . he is unquestionably magnificent. This is very lyrical Wagner singing, sensual, even sexual in tone, noble in utterance, and shaped as much through the line as off the words, with not so much as a hint of the declamatory choppiness that some interpreters have deployed of late. Pape's secure upper registers, meanwhile, allow him to move into bass-baritone territory (Wotan, Sachs) or even pure baritone roles (Wolfram) with breathtaking ease . . . [The Fliedermonolog, sounding unusually erotic, is] one of the disc's high points, along with Wotan's farewell from "Die Walküre" and a substantial chunk of the first scene of "Parsifal"'s third act, in which he is joined by a curiously tremulous Plácido Domingo in the title role. There's wonderful playing, too, from the Berlin Staatskapelle under Daniel Barenboim.

Record Review /
Tim Ashley,
The Guardian (London) / 05. May 2011

. . . [Pape] has a warm manly sound, clear dramatic diction, and a beautiful sense of line. This recording shows his Wotan . . . in near-ideal circumstances, without any of the fatigue or balance issues that might affect a stage performance, and with a softer pianissimo than he might dare in a theatre. But we're probably only getting part of the passion a live show might ignite in this charismatic performer. Listen to the emotional depth, musical variety and intelligence in this excerpt, or in his rich and thoughtful renditions of three sections from "Die Meistersinger", and you just want to run to whatever theatre is lucky enough to have Pape singing these roles. He's a dashing figure, one of only two "mastersingers" at the Met (the other is Renée Fleming), where he brought the house down last fall with his performances as Boris Godunov. He has explored more outré realms as well, including "Mein Herz brennt", a lavish post-Wagnerian song cycle by German composer Torsten Reich. . . Pape's ascendancy in Wagner's music is the latest step in the gradual conquest of the Wagner stage by singers . . . who bring an Italianate, cantabile style to a repertoire that used to be disfigured by the infamous "Bayreuth bark." This album's final selection, a lovely flowing account of "Tannhäuser"'s "O du mein holder Abendstern" proves the point explicitly, albeit in the kind of sung recitative/aria combination that Wagner later abandoned. Even a stentorian excerpt from "Lohengrin" (Gott grüß euch) has a creamy fluency to it. The scenes from "Parsifal" may be the hardest to approach cold, due to the rather rarefied nature of Wagner's philisophico-dramatic idea. But Pape's Gurnemanz sounds alert and assured . . . Conductor Daniel Barenboim leads a watchful and resonant performance of all this material by the Staatskapelle Berlin, including a brief and robust choral outburst at the end of the Lohengrin excerpt.

Record Review /
Robert Everett-Green,
Globe and Mail / 27. May 2011

Simply put, it is difficult to imagine any bass singing highlights from the operas of Richard Wagner better than René Pape. In his physical, artistic and vocal prime, the German bass wraps and drapes his rich, expressive instrument around soaring operatic expressions . . . [a] full, sensitive and highly satisfying orchestral partnership of conductor Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin . . . By the time Pape ends with Wolfram's song to the evening star from "Tannhäuser", the world has become a better place.

. . . the man with one of the world's most beautiful bass voices . . . It's not often we hear this music so gorgeously intoned . . . The "Parsifal" scene in particular benefits from Barenboim's characteristic blend of spontaneity and deliberation, while Plácido Domingo easily matches Pape in his eloquent ardour . . . when it comes to sheer vocal refinement and the purest Wagnerian gravitas, René Pape is hard to beat.

Record Review /
Arnold Whittall,
Gramophone (London) / 01. July 2011

The flexibility of his velvety voice is perfect for the complexities of the composer's soaring arias . . .

Yes. Just . . . yes. We have been waiting since 2008 for René Pape to make a follow-up recital disc following the sexy and at times downright scary "Gods, Kings and Demons". And our favorite tall drink of operatic water has finally delivered with a Wagnerian recital disc . . . this is going to be a must for any Wagnerite.

Record Review /
Olivia Giovetti,
WQXR.com / 14. September 2011

René Pape's singing of Wagner is, after all, one of the major reasons for hearing opera today, and his partnership with Daniel Barenboim has been extensive and [influential] . . . Wotan's farewell from Die Walküre moves at an unusually strong pace, positively racing at the start, as if to reflect the character's desperate resolve. Barenboim builds the scene on vast waves, with seamless transitions, and maintains intensity in the swelling, roiling intervals, thanks to the brilliant strings of the Staatskapelle Berlin . . . the big vocal phrases are melded and unified with an art seldom heard. Nearly as notable here is the Good Friday scene from "Parsifal", in which Barenboim combines rubato and tautness to reach a robust, riveting conclusion . . . [In "Die Meistersinger"] Pape evokes a lighthearted, likable side to Sachs just where it's most needed, in the nationalistic lecture to Walther late in Act III . . .

René Pape's singing of Wagner is, after all, one of the major reasons for hearing opera today . . . [Daniel Barenboim] shows a knack for making this studio recording feel live and theatrical . . . Barenboim builds the scene on vast waves, with seamless transitions, and maintains intensity in the swelling, roiling intervals, thanks to the brilliant strings of the Staatskapelle Berlin . . . [Pape] summons a broad, regal tone, with a firm edge in the staccato thrusts to complement his absolute command of the intimate lines leading to the final farewell . . . the big vocal phrases are melded and unified with an art seldom heard . . . Masterful singing . . . Plácido Domingo is a welcome presence here as Parsifal . . . bursting with resonance and zealous as ever.

. . . René Pape is one of the finest singers, if not "the" finest, in that vocal range today. Good bass voices are rare, excellent ones are cause for celebration, and Pape certainly falls into the latter category. He is a world-class singer and role interpreter, and it is always a pleasure to see or hear him perform . . . Pape pulls it off with excellent fashion . . . he is aided by the orchestra in being able to create a powerful effect . . . the Staatskapelle Berlin performs in sublime fashion, producing a gorgeous, lush soundscape . . . supporting Pape's vocals with consummate skill . . . Barenboim is an old hand at this music, a skilled Wagnerian . . . Pape's burnished tones, solid intonation, and exceptional diction are fully on display . . . a lovely "O du mein holder Abendstern" [from "Tannhäuser"] . . . [this disc] will be appreciated by many.